LGBT+ Christians at Pride in London, 2018. (NurPhoto via Getty/ Alex Cavendish) A vital new research project will examine the impact of “the increasingly toxic rhetoric around sexuality and gender identity” on LGBT+ Christians. A survey will be launched on World Mental Health Day (10 October) to measure how safe “increasingly vulnerable” LGBT+ Christians feel. The
Religion
Rev Dr Megan Rohrer was installed to the Sierra Pacific Synod at Grace Cathedral on 11 September 2021. (Yalonda M. James/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty) The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America has installed its first openly trans bishop, Rev Megan Rohrer. Rohrer was installed as a bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod in a
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops announced that Monsignor Jeffrey Burrill, the assembly’s general secretary, resigned on 20 July 2021 amid “impending media reports alleging possible improper behavior”. (YouTube/United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) A top administrator for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has resigned after an investigation claimed to have tracked him using
Elin Stillingen was honoured in the first church name changing ceremony in Norway. (Facebook/ Elin Stillingen) A church in Norway held a beautiful naming ceremony for a trans person, in what is thought to be the first ceremony of its kind in the country. Elin Stillingen, 49, came out as transgender nine years ago, and
The Methodist Church has voted for marriage equality. (Envato) The Methodist Church has voted to allow same-sex marriage, and will now define marriage as between “two people”, rather than between “one man and one woman”. In 2019, the Marriage and Relationships Task Group presented a report to the church’s annual conference, titled “God in Love Unites
Pope Francis. (Christopher Furlong/Getty) Italy’s prime minister Mario Draghi has rejected Vatican efforts to interfere with the passage of an anti-discrimination law. There was widespread outrage among LGBT+ groups in Italy when it emerged that the Vatican had stated its opposition to the proposed law, which would extend anti-discrimination protections to women, LGBT+ people and
Pope Francis. (Getty/Franco Origlia) Hundreds of Catholics stepped forward to bless LGBT+ people during a virtual service in response to the Vatican’s ban on blessings for same-sex couples. The live-streamed event was hosted by Dignity USA, an organisation that works to secure justice and equality for LGBT+ people in the Catholic Church, and was run
Pope Francis. (Franco Origlia/Getty) A Catholic researcher has criticised the “shoddiness” of the Catholic Church’s outdated teachings on LGBT+ identities. Dr Luca Badini Confalonieri, director of research at the Wijngaards Institute for Catholic Research, criticised the Vatican’s refusal to move forward on LGBT+ issues despite emerging evidence that its anti-gay stance is based on a
Bethany Church leader Jonathan Stockstill has apologised for the “painful experiences” of the bootcamp’s participants. (Facebook/ Jonathan Stockstill) A Christian bootcamp run by the Bethany Church megachurch allegedly used homophobic and racist slurs against teens, and forced them to fight each other until they were bleeding. The “220i” leadership programme was run Bethany Church, a
Lil Nas X features in a photoshoot for GQ Style SS21, available on newsstands 13 May 2021. (Photo by Luke Gilford) Lil Nas X has revealed that he thought God was “tempting” him with his feelings for men, admitting he “never wanted to be gay”. The “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” rapper graced the cover
Pope Francis. (Getty/ Lisa Maree Williams) Around 700 young people have formally left the Catholic Church in Belgium since the Vatican banned blessings for same-sex couples. Johan Bonny, bishop of Antwerp, told The Tablet that many of their members pulled away from the Catholic Church after the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (CDF) issued its
Pastor John Sherwood was arrested after complaints from members of the public over his “homophobic comments”. (YouTube/ Pastor John Sherwood Arrest) An elderly pastor was arrested on the streets of London for making “homophobic comments” and telling passers-by that same-sex couples were against “God’s created order”. Pastor John Sherwood and Pastor Peter Simpson were preaching
A federal court has ruled in favour of a Christian student group banned for its discriminatory leadership requirements. (Stock photograph via Elements Envato) A judge has ruled that University of Iowa administrators can be sued by a Christian student group that was placed under a ban for religious homophobia. In 2017, a Business Leaders in Christ group
Lewis Hamilton spoke out against the Vatican’s ban on same-sex unions. (Dan Istitene/Getty) Lewis Hamilton has described a Vatican ban on priests blessing same-sex unions as “unacceptable”. On Monday (15 March), the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith responded to the question of blessing same-sex unions on behalf of the Vatican, and insisted that God
A lesbian said she was forced out of her church after coming out. (Envato Elements) A lesbian was left needing counselling after she was pushed out of the Church of England for daring to be openly gay. Rachel Gillingham, a primary school teacher, said she was pushed out of St Luke’s Church in Oseney Crescent,
Islamic scholar Khalid Zaheer delivers a 2014 anti-gay lecture hosted on the charity website A newly-registered Muslim charity is facing scrutiny over sermons on its website that suggest homosexuality is a disease that needs to be cured. The Cheshire-based Ghamidi Centre of Islamic Communication, which registered as a charity in December, hosted videos and audio
Michael Sheen questioned the Salvation Army on its LGBT+ policies (Dominik Bindl/Getty) The actor Michael Sheen confronted the Salvation Army on its notoriously anti-trans reputation after his recent donation was criticised by several LGBT+ fans. The Good Omens star announced on Sunday (30 January) that he had sponsored Skewen Temple, a branch of the Salvation
The group of Catholic bishops who signed the statement in support of LGBT+ youth included a cardinal and an archbishop. (Envato) A group of US Catholic bishops have sent powerful message of solidarity to LGBT+ kids everywhere, telling them: “God loves you and God is on your side.” A statement signed by the Catholic bishops
Julio Lancellotti shared photos of himself with trans women on Instagram. (Instagram) A priest has won praise from his followers after he delivered a powerful message of love and solidarity with trans people. Father Julio Lancellotti, a Catholic priest from Sao Paulo, Brazil, shared photos of himself with transgender women on Thursday (7 January) and
The Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in Washington, DC. (Getty/ The Washington Post/ Marvin Joseph) A woman has pleaded guilty to threatening to bomb a Catholic school, killing children, teachers and nuns, because it supports its LGBT+ alumni. In May 2019, sister Mary Berchmans, president emerita of Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in Washington, DC, announced in
Gay imam Muhsin Hendricks. (Facebook/ Muhsin Hendricks) A pioneering gay imam is teaching South African Muslims about sexuality and gender identity in Islam during the coronavirus pandemic. Imam Muhsin Hendricks, 53, was one of the first imams in the world to publicly come out as gay in 1998, according to Reuters, and he has made
Joel Olsteen. (Screen capture via ABC13) Lakewood Church, the largest megachurch in the US led by a man who once called on gay people to “change” their sexuality, was handed a $4.4 million loan from the federal coronavirus relief program. Osteen’s net worth is estimated to be $100 million, and he lives in a 17,000
Christian anti-LGBT+ activist Gordon Klingenschmitt. (Pray In Jesus Name/ YouTube) An anti-LGBT+ Christian activist and former Republican lawmaker has claimed that president elect Joe Biden is forming a “transgender atheist army”. Gordon Klingenschmitt is a former Navy chaplain who served in the Colorado House of Representatives from 2015 until 2017, and is now a Christian
Connor Scothern. (West Midlands Police) A British teenager jailed for belonging to a far-right, neo-Nazi terrorist group that plotted to wage a “holy war” against Black people, Jews and the LGBT+ community and Jewish people had his sentence halved Friday (November 20). Connor Scothern, a 19-year-old from Nottingham, was convicted alongside three others – including
The Unitarian Universalist Church in Utica, upstate New York, spoke out after its banners were repeatedly vandalised (UUUC) A church has vowed to stand up for equality after its Pride and Black Lives Matter flags were ripped down. The Unitarian Universalist Church in Utica, upstate New York, spoke out after its banners were repeatedly vandalised
Pillow Queens formed in 2016, in the wake of Ireland’s same-sex marriage referendum. (Faolán Carey) In 2016, Cathy McGuinness, Sarah Corcoran, Rachel Lyons and Pamela Connolly played a game of basketball together and the all-queer Dublin band Pillow Queens was born. Although they’ve been putting out lo-fi indie rock for just four years, their focus
Donald Trump and Amy Coney Barrett after she was sworn in. (Getty) As the US presidential election dominates news tickers and Twitter timelines, the Supreme Court heard a case Wednesday morning (4 November) that could throw the nation’s anti-discrimination laws into disarray. In what will become the first fight for justice Amy Coney Barrett, whose
Dorre Love filmed himself walking into a police station to turn himself in. (Dorre Love/ YouTube) A homophobic street preacher who ‘intentionally’ broke the leg of a man who stood up to his hate has turned himself in to the police. Dorre Love, 42, and another man were preaching on a street in Vancouver, Canada,
Evangelical preacher Franklin Graham has lashed out at Pope Francis for “trivialising Christ’s sacrifice” by “normalising homosexuality”. Pope Francis suggested in a documentary that premiered on Wednesday (October 21) that gay people “have a right to be part of the family” and threw his support behind “civil union law” so same-sex relationships can be “legally
Elton John has joined a chorus of queer religious leaders in calling for British churches to tackle the “ticking timebomb” of spiritual abuse levelled against LGBT+ people. The singer threw his support to a Saturday (17 October) conference that will see around 400 church leaders across various denominations discuss how places of worship can be made